RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe top of the fourth inning for the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, Aug. 6, was a long one. Typically, to give the Reds’ starting pitcher a chance to get a bit of a break, hitters take a few pitches to open the bottom half of that inning.
“Sal was leading off,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “It was after a long inning. He asked if he should take one because a lot of times after a long inning you don’t want to have a quick inning. I said I want you to hit one into the right-field stands.”
Stewart homered to left field.
Francona joked, “He never listens.”
Ahead of games Friday, Aug. 7, Stewart was tied for 12th in baseball in homers, and second in the league with 87 RBI. He was leading the Reds in most statistical categories. He’s aiming to become the fourth Major League rookie since 1920 to lead his team in home runs, RBI, walks, and hits.
“I’m just doing my job,” Stewart said.
He has become one of the faces of the Reds, and his at-bats are one of the most fun to watch things going for the Reds right now.
“He knows the zone, so that limits chase,” Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott said. “He has a pretty good idea of what pitches that pitchers will throw in what counts. He shortens his swing up and shoots it to right a lot, and you can’t plan for that. You can’t blow a fastball by him. He’ll foul it off and get a pitch that he likes and hammers it. When you put that all together, it makes for a really hard at-bat.”
With his terrific season, Stewart is establishing his case as an NL Rookie of the Year frontrunner. Among qualified NL rookies, he ranks first in homers and RBI and in the top five in OPS.
At this point last year, Stewart was in Triple-A. At that time, he was learning the ropes at first base, fine-tuning his process at the plate and hoping to be a difference maker at the big league level down the stretch of the 2025 season. He accomplished that. Just one year later, any playoff hopes for the Reds would be dead without him. Stewart’s production has helped keep the season alive.
“Sal is showing a lot of glimpses of greatness,” reliever Pierce Johnson said. “He’s young. He’s talented. He’s thirsty for knowledge. He wants to get better every day. He wants to play every day. It’s really, really cool for a young guy to have those aspirations.”
Stewart is on pace to set a new Reds rookie record with 123 RBI, which would surpass the previous mark of 100 set by Jim Greengrass in 1953. One-hundred-twenty-three RBI would also be the most by any Reds player since Dave Parker (125) in 1985.
Stewart has proven to be a clutch run producer.
“He certainly looks forward to those situations, and he certainly thrives in them,” Francona said.
His defense and his versatility have also been important assets for the Reds. A year ago, he had barely played first base. Now, he’s the only first baseman on the big league roster. During the summer, with Ke’Bryan Hayes on the injured list, Stewart played a solid third base. At the start of the season, he was the Reds’ backup second baseman.
Stewart does whatever is asked, and he does it with a confident flare.
“With the confidence he has in himself and the confidence we have knowing he’s going to give a good at-bat every time, that stuff matters,” Abbott said. “You have that confidence in him. We know he has the confidence in himself. There’s no doubt. He’ll fight the best he can. And if you beat him, he’ll get you the next time.”
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